Nicolette Boele ‘very confident’ with outcome of Bradfield recount
IndependentNicolette Boelecalled the weeks-long effort to count and recount ballots in the seat of Bradfield one of the “most impressive and comprehensive” processes, saying she was “very confident” with the outcome that saw her triumph over LiberalGisele Kapterian. She told RN Breakfast:
Boele called her competitor a “formidable candidate”.
Chalmers doesn’t rule out concessions to get super tax across the line
Jim Chalmersaddressed the need to work with the crossbench to get Labor’s superannuation tax plan passed. The ABC’s Sally Sara asked if the government was offering a “take-it-or-leave-it” deal and had ruled out making concessions with the Greens on the matter. Chalmers told RN Breakfast:
The treasurer said he would engage “respectfully” with the crossbench, noting there was also a lot of “disunity” in the Coalition over the tax increase.
Chalmers says Australian economy performing ‘relatively well’ despite GDP numbers
TreasurerJim Chalmerssaid this morning Australia’s economy remained in a good place, citing lower inflation, an increase in real wages and the lowering of interest rates, despite yesterday’s news that the country’s GDP grewjust 0.2% in the first three monthsof 2025. He told RN Breakfast:
You can read more about the GDP and Greg Jericho’s take here:
Newly elected independent MPNicolette Boelesays the recount has given her “absolute confidence, even more confidence than before, in our democracy and in the Australian electoral commission.”
After being declared winner of the Sydney seat of Bradfieldon a wafer-thin margin of 26 votes yesterday over a month after polls closed, Boele appeared on ABC’s 7.30 program yesterday evening.
Boele said the win was the fruits of years of campaigning and 1,450 volunteers, including 222 people scrutineering over the last four and a half weeks, and 12 people doing all the catering for those scrutineers.
Boele said she realised she had won when she held a press conference immediately after the announcement:
The Liberal candidate,Gisele Kapterian,hasn’t yet conceded – she said in a statement she will “carefully review” the original count and the recount. Whether she tries to find grounds to take the result to the court of disputed returns Boele said was a “question for her”.
Shadow treasurer says Labor’s super tax plan centred on ‘egregious idea’
The shadow treasurer,Ted O’Brien,said Labor’s plan to increase taxes on large superannuation balances over $3m will be “an absolute disaster”. O’Brien spoke to Radio National Breakfast this morning amid thepolitical tussle over the proposal, saying any tax on unrealised gains was an “egregious idea”:
O’Brien, the deputy Liberal leader, went on to say that he would prefer to see “this entire bill scrapped”, but that’s “probably not going to happen”.
Matt Kean tells fossil fuel-friendly MPs to stop ‘holding our country back’
Matt Keanmade an assertive case for why climate action makes economic sense while giving the Talbot oration at the Australian Museum in Sydney on Wednesday night.
In comments that were a less-than-subtle swipe at Coalition MPs, and possibly some others, the Climate Change Authority chair and former NSW Liberal energy minister said “opponents of climate action don’t give up even when their political parties cop an electoral hammering”, but urged Australians to ignore “doubters whose main mission seems to be to prolong the life of fossil fuel industries”:
Kean quotedAndré Corrêa do Lago,the Brazilian diplomat who will head this year’s Cop30 UN climate summit in the Amazon, and wholast week told the Guardianthat opposition to ambitious steps to address the climate crisis was now largely “not scientific denial”, but “economic denial”.
On this, Kean said “it helps that the economics are also aligning with the science”.
Good morning, and welcome to Thursday.Nick Visserhere to take you through today’s breaking news. Here’s what’s on deck:
Matt Kean, chair of the Climate Change Authority, told politicians who are providing cover for action on fossil fuels to “get out of the way.” Kean spoke in Sydney last night, saying MPs standing against climate action were “holding our country back” and “holding your political parties back”.
IndependentNicolette Boeleis relishing herwin in the seat of Bradfieldafter a long, seesawing recount. Boele spoke to the ABC last night, calling the moment she was declared victorious “one of the biggest honours that I’ve ever had in my life.” LiberalGisele Kapterianhas not yet conceded the race.
Stick with us as we dig into thepolitical crisis in Tasmanialater today with the debate on a no-confidence motion against the state’s premier set to continue.Jim Chalmerswill also speak about Australia’s less-than-robust GDP numbers later this morning.
Onwards.